Council passes 'commercial node' ordinances

May 21, 2013

Sweeping changes to zoning in north Cape Coral were approved Monday, opening the door to "commercial nodes" at what will someday be major intersections.

City Coral City Council approved eight ordinances that changed the zoning in mostly undeveloped areas from residential to Marketplace Residential, so it can plan where businesses will be permitted. The land use designation for the properties was changed in 2010. For any development to occur, the zoning must match the land use. The change in land use was spurred by a state referendum, Amendment 4, which if passed, would have required all land use changes to go to referendum.

Councilmember Kevin McGrail said that would have "trapped them (the city) in time."

In other business, the city council gave the green light for City Manager John Szerlag to begin the process of finding a Department of Community Development director.

Szerlag is authorized to hire a firm to recruit candidates, hire the candidate, and pay him or her a salary up to the maximum of the salary range for that position, which is around $131,000 per year.

Szerlag hopes to have someone ready to go by mid August. The resolution passed 7-1.